In response to residents’ requests, North Tyneside Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn CBE has called for the free garden waste collection service to be extended.
At a meeting of North Tyneside Council’s Cabinet last night (July 30), Mayor Redfearn asked officers – in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Members and Deputy Mayor – to explore if the successful service could be offered to more households.
Officers will now look to extend the service to those living in new build estates, which have been built in recent years and are not currently included in the scheme, at no extra cost to residents.
The scheme includes a garden waste bin and 18 fortnightly collections per year, running from March until the end of November.
Mayor Redfearn said: “Listening and responding to the needs of our residents is my main priority.
“I know that the separate collection of garden waste is extremely valued by those who are able to take advantage of it, and I am often asked by those who can’t if we can extend it to where they live.
“There are also many benefits for the environment and we’re always looking at ways to become a more sustainable borough. An extension of this scheme would help divert more waste from landfill and improve our composting rates.”
Mayor Redfearn asked officers to explore whether this can be achieved within existing budgets and if it’s possible - start the implementation process, including eligibility criteria.
The garden waste from the collection service is taken to a composting centre.
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